


One's Own Home

by DesertVixen



Category: Venetia - Georgette Heyer
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-06-18
Updated: 2015-06-18
Packaged: 2018-04-05 00:51:56
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,220
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4159389
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/DesertVixen/pseuds/DesertVixen
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Venetia's musings after returning from their honeymoon</p>
            </blockquote>





	One's Own Home

**Author's Note:**

  * For [Nary](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Nary/gifts).



Venetia and Damerel had been married quietly from her Aunt Hendred’s house in London. Her Uncle Hendred had given his support to the marriage but opposed the idea of a special license, claiming that it would look as if the pair had something to hide. So they had settled on the first week of January, a delay which gave Venetia time to procure a new wardrobe.  


Aunt Hendred had been more than pleased to help her niece be creditably married. Venetia had been surprised at first, until Damerel had pointed out that it would be easier for that lady to fire off her own daughters with Venetia off the market. 

Sir and Lady Steeple had not returned to London for the wedding, much to Aunt Hendred’s relief. Instead, they had hosted the newly married couple to an intimate dinner on the Damerels’ arrival in Paris. Sir Lambert had given Venetia a lovely, if extravagant, pearl and sapphire pendant as her bridal gift. Aurelia Steeple had flirted outrageously with her son-in-law, while declaring that Venetia was a lovely bride, almost as lovely as she had been herself. Venetia did not mention that Aubrey had accompanied them on the wedding trip, as he had made it plain he did not care to meet with the mother who had abandoned her husband and children. 

Venetia had not written her brother Conway about her impending marriage, preferring for once to treat him as he so often treated her. Instead, they had surprised him in Cambray. Venetia owned that he had taken the news that his sister was married to the Wicked Baron of their childhood in stride. He had been much less pleased by the fact that Venetia had not been at Undershaw, ensuring that nothing he liked was disarranged. She believed that Damerel had spoken with Conway about selling out and returning to his duties in Yorkshire, since he would no longer be able to depend on leaving everything in his sister’s capable hands. Damerel had refused to tell her how he had convinced Conway to shoulder his responsibilities at Undershaw, no matter how nicely she had asked.

All of the travel had been fascinating to Venetia, who had spent almost her entire life buried in the north. She did not dislike winter, but after twenty-five years of wet, bleak cold, the sun-baked warmth of Rome was intoxicating. Despite his persistent complaint that Greece would have made for a better trip, she knew Aubrey had enjoyed it. They had made the acquaintance of several young scholars who had been pleased to admit Aubrey into their circle, which gave Venetia and Damerel time to enjoy less scholarly activities. 

Two of the young men had traveled back in company with them, and Aubrey had been delivered to Cambridge with less trouble than Venetia had anticipated. They had also passed through Cambray to ensure that Conway was actually preparing to depart, although Venetia drew the line at having him travel with them. 

Venetia had grown up surrounded by selfish men who simply did not stop to consider that her silence might not mean she was pleased with her situation. Her father had evidently feared she would follow in her mother’s footsteps and felt keeping her buried alive in Yorkshire was a reasonable solution. Conway held her in affection, particularly when she could take difficult matters off his hands. Aubrey was the best of the group, but he did not always engage with the world around him, preferring to bury himself in his books. After dealing with the three of them for so long, Damerel’s consideration for her was a welcome change. Some days, she thought of how she might have ended up married to Edward Yardley, simply because he seemed like the only available choice. Venetia could only be thankful that Damerel had caught her raiding his blackberry patch that day.

*** *** *** 

After their return to the Priory late the previous afternoon, Damerel had arranged to spend the day with his bailiff. Venetia had spent a great deal of the morning touring the house with Mrs. Imber. There were improvements she intended to make, as the Priory had lacked a woman’s touch for some time. Venetia had spent part of this time soothing the older woman’s concerns that the Imbers could not handle the increased work load if Damerel decided to spend more time in Yorkshire. It was an easy task for a woman who had honed her skills keeping Nurse and Mrs. Gurnard from upsetting the harmony at Undershaw, but it had driven home the need to talk to her husband about their plans. 

In the afternoon, she had driven over to Undershaw to visit Charlotte and reassure her that Conway was truly on his way home. Venetia was gratified to find that Charlotte seemed to be finding her place, although her mother’s attempts to rule everything had not abated. Mrs. Scorrier still seemed uncomfortable to have been linked to Damerel through matrimony, but the idea that Venetia’s marriage would remove her from Undershaw seemed to compensate for that. Venetia did not bother to explain to Mrs. Scorrier that they intended to stay in the neighborhood at least another month, until Charlotte was delivered. She had no intention of missing her elder brother’s reaction to a household that included Mrs. Scorrier and demands that his dogs be left outside.

As much as she enjoyed travel, it was also nice to relax in one’s own home. She had informed Mrs. Imber that she and Damerel would dine in their rooms this evening, and had decided to wear one of the new creations from a dressmaker her mother had recommended. The gauzy blush pink dressing gown was similar to the one her mother had worn during the fateful call at the Steeples’ hotel in London, but simpler and better suited to Venetia’s figure. 

The door that joined their room opened, and Venetia turned to see Damerel, wearing his own dark blue dressing gown. His eyes warmed as he took in her attire, just as she had hoped they would.

“My dear delight,” he said as he crossed the room to take her hand and raise it to his lips.

*** *** *** 

The light meal that Mrs. Imber had prepared was only a pleasant memory, as they sat in front of the fireplace in their sitting room. Spring nights in Yorkshire could still be quite chilly, and Venetia found the warmth appealing as she sat on her husband’s lap. The new dressing gown slipped further down her shoulders as her head fell back, with Damerel’s lips warm against her throat, one of his arms wrapped around her waist.

“I rather like this new style of evening gown,” he murmured as she shivered slightly. “Of course, it will only do for very intimate events.”

“I promise to wear it only for you, my love,” she sighed, sliding her hands inside his dressing gown. 

“Not,” he drew in a sharp breath as her seeking fingers encircled him, “not when you’re presiding over my orgies.”

She smiled. “Only for you, Damerel.”

He slid his hand behind her head as he kissed her fiercely, pushing the impractical dressing gown further down her shoulders until it landed on the ground. 

Yes, Venetia thought, there was definitely something to be said for relaxing in one’s own home.

**Author's Note:**

> I hope you like it!


End file.
